My life's been going surprisingly well. Last day of school. Farewell party. And honestly… I can't think of a single reason to socialize with these creatures.
Humans.
Irrational. Predictable. Addicted to something they call a feeling.
Love.
Ha.
They treat it like it's sacred. Like it's rare. Like it's powerful.
It's none of those things.
Love is leverage.
It makes people soft. It makes them confess. It makes them surrender
And surrender?
I don't respect it.
It's been a month since I stopped pretending to care about any of them. A month since I decided I'd never be the one losing control again.
The music was loud. Laughter everywhere. Fake hugs. Fake tears. Fake promises to "stay in touch."
I was scanning the room out of boredom when I felt it.
That familiar stare of My ex.
Raymon.
Across the hall, standing near the drinks table like some tragic hero from a cheap romance novel. His eyes were fixed on me.
People call it the eyes of love.
I call it the eyes of a loser staring at something he thought he owned… but couldn't keep.
Or maybe couldn't control.
His gaze followed me like I still belonged to him. Like I was something misplaced, something he expected to retrieve.
Pathetic.
A month ago, I would've enjoyed watching him fall harder.
Now?
I was just studying the aftermath.
I tilted my head slightly and held his stare. Not out of emotion, but calculation.
Let him remember what it felt like to think he mattered.
Let him replay every word I ever whispered.
Let him understand something simple:
Loving me was his first mistake.
He looked away first.
Of course he did.
I drifted into my thoughts, zoning out while the party buzzed around me. A tap on my shoulder pulled me back. Melisa – my "best friend," a word I've long since learned to play with, shook me.
Yeah… best friend is also another word to play with stupid people.
I've always liked that word. Bestfriend.
It makes people feel special. Chosen. Safe.
Especially when they're the same gender. They trust faster. They talk more. They reveal everything.
Useful.
"Why are you excited over nothing?" I asked calmly.
She leaned closer, practically glowing. "Luna! There are boys from other schools here! And we can invite friends of friends too. From other schools"
I rolled my eyes. "And?"
That's when I saw him.
Tall. Brown eyes that looked like they could see right through me. Dusky skin, slim frame, sharp features, confidence radiating off him like some ridiculous aura.
Unlike Raymon, he wasn't staring.
He was assessing.
"Hi, my new ob- No. Not yet" but
Interesting… let's see what game you think you're playing, my mind whispered.
And he noticed me. Smiling. Walking straight toward me like he already knew I'd notice him.
"Hi my new partner" he said, casual but deliberate.
"I'm Marcos."
I froze for a second, then masked it perfectly.
Act normal. Pretend he's just another human. Let him make the first mistake.
"Luna," I said, voice measured, casual. "Nice to meet you. You're…?"
He smirked, eyes glinting. "Samuel's best friend. But from today… looks like we're partners."
Oh samuel's best friend? More interesting
My mind whispered again
"Partners?" I tilted my head, curious but pretending to consider it lightly. "What are we partners for?" I replied
He shrugged, leaning slightly closer. "Guess we'll find out soon. But I hope you're ready to keep up."
I tilted my head. "I hope you're not expecting me to carry you."
He leaned slightly closer. "I was about to say the same."
Good.
Confidence.
This might actually be entertaining.
Melisa nudged me. "Luna! Stop zoning out!"
I glanced at her with a faint smile.
Let them think they know me.
They never do.
Turning back to him, I said casually, "Fine then… partner."
And inside? My mind was already racing. This is going to be fun. Very, very fun.
Let's see how steady you are when it matters.
Scene: After the Farewell Party / First Contact with Marcos
The party finally ended, leaving a mess of balloons and confetti behind. My head still buzzed from music, chatter, and all those human smiles I didn't care about. I trudged home, dragging my thoughts like chains.
Flopping onto my bed, I tried to think about… well, anything else besides humans. But then my brain reminded me: exams were coming. Exams… the word alone made me want to scream.
I flipped through my exam seating list absentmindedly and froze.
Marcos.
My bench mate.
The partner he was talking about…
I groaned. Of course he'd be here. Of course my "partner" for exams would be the same guy who made me feel… something I didn't want to feel.
My eyes drifted to my notebook. Blank pages. Nothing. I'd been too busy surviving my own life to even consider studying. My house was always loud in the wrong ways. Expectations heavy. Conversations hollow, my own mess of late-night thoughts, and all the expectations I couldn't care to meet. How was I supposed to learn fractions, essays, or chemical reactions when my head was already an endless storm?
A few days later, I was trying to focus on my preparation and that's when my phone buzzed.
"Hi, remember me? I'm Marcos from the farewell party of your school."
I blinked at the screen. My heart skipped, annoyed, not… anything else.
Where did you get my number? Are you a stalker? I typed back.
Almost immediately, a reply came:
"Stalker? Really? You didn't even give me a chance to impress you. And here you are, already assuming the worst."
I stared at it. Assuming the worst…
ha.
No.
I prefer anticipating.
"Impress me?" I replied. "That's ambitious."
There was a pause.
Then:
"Ambition is attractive. Or are you scared I might succeed?"
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
Smart. Confident. Quick response time.
Not bad.
Not weak – at least not yet.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
My mind settled on one conclusion:
Love makes people surrender.
Let's see how long it takes before you do.
And when you do…
Let's see how much it costs you.
Not bad.
Maybe… useful.